Blink
by Harlequine-Girl
Summary: From the author of I Am... Ginny's life has changed in the Blink of an Eye and there's absolutely nothing she can do about it! What happens when you take nosy paparazzi, a fedup Ginny, and a completely 180ed Draco? Why this story of course! I'm begging!
1. Chapter 1: NightmaresPaparazziParties

Okay folks, so, here's the thing. Yes, I am the author of "I Am" which is my other Ginny/ Draco fic. I AM STILL GOING TO WORK ON THAT FIC, but I needed something else to work on to give me ideas for the other. So, I was digging around through some shit I did in high school and I found this plot outline. It is an actual complete outline, one of the few I have ever finished! So, this story is going on here! I have modified it a little since then, but it is the exact same plot that I originally stared with. I'M SO HAPPY! Okay, so, anyways, here it is, and I hope you enjoy it.

Also, don't discard this. I know, personally, I read the first few lines of a fic and if they don't just captivate me I don't really bother. But I have learned that if you just read the first few lines, they don't really tell you much about the story, and I've found some great ones that started off rocky but turned out to be wonderful in the end! So, please, just give this a chance, and if I get a good few reviews for it, I'll continue it.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor do I own 30 Seconds To Mars. Connor and a few other new characters are mine though, as is the plot. Please enjoy!

((-))

Chapter 1: Nightmares, Paparazzi, and Parties

Ginevra Molly Weasley sat up in bed, covered in a cold sweat, heart pounding, eyes blinking back tears, and chest heaving to gather at least an ounce of blessed air. It took her a moment for her body to quiet the tremors that wracked her frame. She ran her hands through her already disheveled hair and climbed out of bed. The floor that hit her feet was unfamiliar, as were most things in this ridiculously huge house. It wasn't the smooth, worn hardwood of The Burrow, no. It was the rock hard, cool marble of the new Weasley Manor. It was times like these that she cursed her father ever making Minister of Magic. With silent steps she treaded to the bathroom. In her mind she groped for the power that made the room illuminate. It was frustrating having to learn the new magic this mansion required.

Mental hand grasping the correct power, the lights flickered on and a beautiful golden glow covered the room. Ginny sighed. This single bathroom was bigger than 3 stories of The Burrow. She missed their old house, with it's familiar furnishings and it's homey feeling. This place felt foreign and cold, but this was home now, as much as she despised it. The truth was there and she would live with it.

She stripped out of her nightgown and slipped into the ready and waiting tub. Well, pool was more like it. The thing had to be as big as the Prefects Bathrooms at Hogwarts. This was one of the things, though, that she didn't mind. She let her body relax and float in the hot vanilla scented water.

They had lived in this house for 5 months, ever since her father had gotten his position of Minister of Magic. She remembered the day he had come home, near bursting with his news.

_Ginny was in the kitchen helping her mother with dinner. She had finally finished her seven year stint at Hogwarts and was ready now to simply take a break for a while before starting back to yet another school. _

"_Pass me the potatoes, love." her mother said with good cheer._

_Ginny picked up the bowl of now clean potatoes and handed them to her mother. Molly took them with a grin. Ginny quirked her eyebrow. "What's got you so happy today Mum?" _

"_Your father flooed earlier today and said he had some very exciting news to tell us all!" Molly answered, smiling jovially at her youngest and only daughter. "I think he finally got that promotion to head of the department!" _

_Ginny couldn't help but smile and hug her mother. They had all been praying that Arthur would get the promotion he'd worked so long and hard for. "So, that's the reason for the roast then? Dad's favorite dinner." _

_Molly smiled at her daughter and nodded. There was a gonging sound from the living room signaling Arthur's travel from work to home. Molly bustled to the stairs. "BOYS, EVERYONE, GET DOWN HERE NOW! YOU'RE FATHER'S ON HIS WAY HOME!" _

_There was a rumbling of feet as the five Weasley boys trooped down the stairs, even Fleur, belly swollen with her pregnancy, loped down after Bill. It was purely coincidence that everyone was present today. Charlie had shown up nearly a week ago with a broken arm and a goofy grin on his face. One of his dragons had gotten a bit too feisty. And then, not two days later Bill and Fleur had shown up to announce Fleur's pregnancy and stay for a bit of a vacation. And so it was that all of the Weasley clan, save one, was present. _

_Arthur apparated into the kitchen just as Fleur came off the last step. Arthur laughed upon seeing all his children waiting for him. Molly went over and gave him a quick peck and a strong hug. She then stepped back and looked at her husband. "Well? Did you get it? Did you get the promotion?" _

_All of them waited with baited breath as Arthur smiled broadly. "No."_

_Everyone's look turned quizzical. "What do you mean you didn't get the promotion?!" Molly asked outraged._

_Arthur put his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't get that promotion, love. I didn't say I didn't get A promotion." _

"_Then what?" Molly asked, her eyes searching her husbands. _

_Arthur smiled at her and then at the rest of his family. "You are looking at the new Minister of Magic!" He announced with a broad grin. _

_Everyone gasped and Molly fainted. _

And from that second on, chaos had ensued. There had been hugs and congratulations all around. After Molly had been revived merriment had taken over and dinner had been served. And that had been the road to the Minister's Manor.

Ginny ducked her head under the still hot water and erased the memory of that day, when all their lives had taken a huge turn. She emerged, water dripping down in her eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. It wasn't to say that she wasn't happy, it was just that, with all the media and the hype of Arthur Weasley's becoming Minister everything had gotten so chaotic and hectic. Ginny longed for the days when simplicity ruled in her family.

She heaved herself out of the bath and grabbed a big fluffy white towel. She wrapped it around herself and padded back into her bedroom. Though the room was nearly pitch black the clock on her bedside table told her that it was nearly 11. The lights came up and she headed towards her balcony windows. She grabbed one of the heavy curtains and yanked it aside, only to be greeted by the bright flash of a camera. She screamed and shut the curtain running out of her room. There was an apparation ban on the grounds and house, he wouldn't get very far.

"FRED, GEORGE!!!! PAPPARAZIE!" she screamed as she ran down the long hall towards the stairs. Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Charlie burst out of their rooms and raced after her.

"Gin! Wait!" Ron grabbed her arm as they all neared the doors.

"Ron let me go!" she argued trying to wrench free of her brother's grasp.

"Gin, you're in a bathing towel and naked underneath, if there's one of those fuck heads, there's bound to be another somewhere! You can't go running out there! We'll take care of him!"

Ginny relented with yet another sigh and her brothers took off out the door, wand out and headed after the intruder.

Molly and Arthur entered the kitchen with looks of worry on their face. "What's wrong?

We heard you scream!"

Ginny growled. "It's those damned paparazzi!!!!!!! They're everywhere! One of them got a shot of me as I opened the curtains!"

"Damn, I'll floo to the office and get more bans on the grounds." Arthur stated, his voice barley betraying the rage he felt, and headed off towards his office. Molly went over to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her.

"There, there dearest" Molly whispered.

"Mum, I'm sick of these damned people" Ginny whispered back, wrapping her arms tighter around her mother. "All they want is the hottest news and the latest pictures and they're bloody annoying!"

"It will be well. Come, I'll make you some tea and breakfast." Molly unwound her arms from around her daughter and went to the stove.

"I'll be down in a minute. I need to change." Ginny stated. She went to her mother and kissed her cheek. She went back upstairs and into her bedroom. She cast a silencing charm on her room and stood there for a second before screaming her frustration to the gods. She grabbed a vase from a nearby table and hurled it against the wall. She took a deep steady breath and let it out slowly. This would get her nowhere. She would just have to deal with what came her way. She went to her closet and grabbed the first things she wanted. Her favorite jeans and the t-shirt given her by the lead singer of 30 Seconds To Jupiter, the newest and hottest band in the Wizarding World. Ginny smiled at the memory, Connor Gillespie was hot shit, and hot shit indeed. Better still was the fact that he was a good man, and a down to earth kind of guy. The fame he got disturbed him nearly as much as her fame disturbed her. Being the Minister's daughter did occasionally have its perks.

She threw her clothes on and applied minimal make-up and headed back downstairs. She immediately felt better when she encountered the photographer bound to a chair and his camera smashed to smithereens at his feet. There was a sticky paste on the outside of his mouth and Ginny laughed.

She bounded over to Fred and George and kissed them both on the cheeks. "Shut-Up Gum is, by far, your greatest invention."

The man made noises behind the paste. Fred and George laughed. At about that time Arthur strolled back into the kitchen with two guards in tow.

The guards untied the man and hauled him to his feet. He made disgruntled noises behind his mask, but no one paid any attention to him.

"All right men, take him away." Arthur commanded. The guards dragged the man out of the room. Arthur turned to his twin sons. "Boys, would you mind giving me the anti-dote? We need to find out who this guy works for."

Fred dug in his pocket, pulled out the anti-dote, and handed it to his father. "It takes two pieces if you really want to get him unstuck."

"Thanks boys." Arthur kissed his daughter on the forehead and smiled at her. "No worries, love. I've made sure things like him can't get in anymore."

"Thanks Daddy." Ginny kissed his weathered cheek. Arthur smiled, kissed his wife, and returned to the ministry.

((-))

The day had been eventful, to say the least. Just after breakfast Bill and Fleur and their new bouncing baby girl had dropped in for a surprise visit.

While Ginny, Molly, and Fleur had kept a vigilant watch over the baby, Bill and the boys had gone out for an impromptu game of Quidditch.

"Well, so far this has been the highlight of my day." Ginny stated as she held her niece carefully in her arms. Baby Sabine was barley a month old and looked the perfect mix of both her mother and father.

"Why? What 'as 'appened?" Fleur asked. She shifted to relieve her aching back.

Ginny checked to make sure her mother was still in the kitchen. "There was a paparazzi outside my window this morning who managed to get a shot of me in a towel." Ginny stated.

Fleur looked aghast. "Seriously?"

"Seriously" Ginny replied. Sabine gave a loud wail and Ginny stood to bounce her. Fleur dug in the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle. She handed it to Ginny, who stuck it quickly in the baby's mouth.

"What did you do? I would 'ave been terrified!" Fleur continued. Ginny paced the floor in front of her sister-in-law.

"Screamed of course! Then I got the boys and they tracked him down. Daddy took him to the ministry." Ginny said giving Fleur a weary look.

"Poor dear" Fleur said as she stood. She gave her sister-in-law a quick hug.

"Poor dear? Gin, a poor dear? That's unlikely."

Ginny and Fleur both spun around. A smile quickly spread across Ginny's face. "Connor! What're you doing here?" Ginny carefully passed Sabine back to Fleur and bounded over to Connor. She threw her arms his neck and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"Good to see you too." Connor laughed.

Fleur delicately cleared her throat. Ginny released her hold on Connor and spun around smiling shyly at Fleur. "Sorry Fleur! This is my friend Connor. He's the lead singer to that band 30 Seconds to Jupiter. Connor this is my sister-in-law Fleur Weasley."

Fleur's face went ecstatic. "You never told me you knew zem! I am a huge fan!" Fleur stated. She shifted Sabine and thrust her hand out. Connor took it smiling.

"Well, it's always nice to meet a fan." Connor stated smiling at both Ginny and Fleur. "And who is this beautiful little thing?" he asked motioning to Sabine.

"My niece, Sabine. Spoiled little thing that she is. First grandchild and all." Ginny playfully stuck her tongue out at Fleur.

Fleur smiled, but delicately sniffed the air. She made a face. "If you will excuse me, someone has decided it's time for a diaper change." She smiled once again at the two before grabbing the diaper bag and heading into the kitchen.

"Well, what're you doing here?" Ginny asked again. Connor slipped his hand in hers and tugged her out of the room to the front door.

"All right, close your eyes!" Connor ordered.

"But Connor-" Connor grabbed her hands and put them over her eyes. 

"Stay" He joked. Ginny kept her hands planted over her eyes. Ginny heard the rarely used front door open and felt Connor's callused hand on her bare arm. He pulled ever so gently and she managed to make her way over the thresh hold without tripping. The presence of Connor's hand disappeared from her arm and she then heard the door click shut. She felt his presence return to her side.

"Alright, open your eyes!" He said.

Ginny dropped her hands and opened her eyes. She stood there speechless. In front of her was parked a black Aston Martin Vanquish S. She threw herself into Connor's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!" Every 'thank you' was punctuated with a kiss. She had never been so ecstatic in her life.

Connor smiled. "I'm glad you like it. It's yours for the night. And don't worry, it's fully insured and everything. It will cost neither of us a damn thing if anything happens to it." Ginny kissed him again.

"You rock!" She ran down the steps to the car and flung the door open. She squealed in delight. This was the car she'd been raging over for the past month. She had seen one while she was out with Connor and had wanted to just drive one. Not own, there were too many speeding tickets that would ensue, but simply drive. She got in the drivers seat and simply sat there taking it all in. Connor came over and leaned on the door. She looked up at him and smiled.

"So, where should I take this bad boy?" she asked with a grin.

"Well, there's a rad party over at Leto's place. And we're both invited." Connor stated.

"Your cousin, right? Jared Leto? The guy you jacked your band's name from?" Ginny joked.

"Yes, my cousin Jared, and I didn't jack my band's name! Jared and I got totally pissed and started making shit up. I do have consent from him you know. And besides, who would know the difference? They're muggle, we're not." Connor replied.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Alright, we'll take the car tonight and have it back in the morning!" She gave Connor a quick kiss to the cheek and ran towards the door.

"Hey! Where're you going?" Connor called.

Ginny turned and smiled at him. "I have to change silly!"

((-))

Damn, it had been one hell of a night. Ginny cast a sobriety spell over herself, though it did make her completely sober, it did nothing to help the headache and tiredness within her. She headed over to where Connor and his band sat with his cousin and his band. She plopped down in between Connor and Jared.

"And here she is. I was wondering whether or not you'd gotten lost." Connor stated.

"No, not lost, just sick. I think I had too much brandy" Ginny said. "I think I'm going to go. I'm dreadfully tired."

To her right Jared laughed. "I honestly love you British. I mean who uses words like "dreadfully" anymore?"

Ginny gave him a smile, "And we also use words like bugger and bloody to convey our dislikes and curses." she remarked.

"Then I'll walk you to your car." Connor said. He stood and helped her to her feet.

Ginny leaned over and gave Jared a kiss on the cheek. "I had a lovely time. We'll definitely have to do this again some time."

"Yes, definitely. Feel free to come and hang out whenever you want. Open invitation!" Jared replied.

With good-byes said Connor and Ginny left the loft apartment that Jared was currently inhabiting during his stay in London. Connor walked her to her car and helped her in.

"Be safe, will you? I think Jared likes you more than I do." He gave her a goofy grin. "I'll drop by tomorrow, see how you're doing. Don't forget we've got that show tomorrow night. I'd like it if you came."

Ginny smiled up at him despite her tiredness. "Of course I'll be there. This is nothing a little sleep won't and can't fix."

He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "Alright then. See you tomorrow."

He shut her door and watched her drive off.

Ginny regretted having the music so loud when they had pulled up to the loft. She immediately turned the music down and headed out of the parking garage. Traffic, as usual was horrible. Late night London proved to be hell as she maneuvered her way towards the route that would take her back to the Manor.

Finally, finally she made her way onto the road that was a straight shot towards the manor.

The attack took her by surprise.

She only just gotten comfortable for the long drive when he apparated into her car, bulbs flashing. She shot her hand out and socked him in the face. He barley even noticed the attack. He threw the camera down and made a grab for her. She veered the car off the side of the road, momentarily blocking his advances. He was slammed against the window and she heard the unmistakable crunch of cracking glass. He righted himself soon enough and made to grab at her again. Only this time only one hand got her. The other got the wheel and he launched himself at her.

Horns blared. The deep bellow of a semi.

Ginny looked up in shock.

She barley even had time to scream before darkness claimed her.

((-))

Yes, I am a bitch for leaving this where I did. But I'm hoping that this will entice you enough to leave me some wonderful, wonderful comments!!!! And make this story one of your favs! Also, if you want to check out Ginny's ride check the links on my Author page! Like the beginning said. I am still working on "I Am" but I need something to get my creative juices flowing!

PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME AWESOME COMMENTS!

And I love you guys!

Arigato

Ja'ne- Ami


	2. Chapter 2: Waking to Dreams

Well, here be the second chapter! So far I've only gotten a few reviews, but I have hope yet!!! And I want to thank each and every one of you for the reviews I did get! I have to admit, I got in a panic, I rearranged my apartment the other day, and when I went to look for the outline for this story I couldn't find it! But upon further inspection and much frantic searching I did find it squirreled away in my coffee table! So, now I have it, and I'm gonna get my ass in gear and write! Any who, on with the show!

((-))

Chapter 2: Waking to Dreams

Pain, undeniable, unbearable pain. Ginny struggled to regain the consciousness that so easily eluded her. What had happened? Why the hell did she hurt so badly? And where was that damn beeping coming from?! She struggled to open her eyes, shutting them immediately half-way through the process. Did it have to be so bright? She stifled a groan. She tried yet again to open her eyes, barely succeeding this time. She managed to crack her eyes open just a bit and took a glance around the room.

Her mother and father were curled around each other on one of the couches, both asleep. Fred and George had two chairs pulled together at a small table playing a regular game of chess. Ron leaned against the wall, fighting and failing to stay awake. Where the rest of her family was, she didn't rightly know. And on top of that she was in a strange room. This room was not her room. In fact, it was a hospital room. But the big question was, why was she in a hospital room? She shifted her head to try to see farther. Pain blossomed across her chest and left shoulder. This time she could not stifle the grunt of pain that came out. She saw her family shift at her noise and all of them rushed to her bedside.

"Oh, Ginny dear!" Her mother tried for gentleness, but didn't manage as she hugged her daughter.

Ginny hissed with the sudden pain and felt bad when her mother pulled away with a worried look on her face.

Fred and George grinned down at her. "Had us worried there for a while, Bug." George stated patting her gently on the head. Ginny managed a grin at the use of her nickname.

"I think I'm still worried about her" Molly stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ginny still couldn't remember why exactly she was here, and why she was in so much pain. "What happened?" she managed to whisper.

She caught the glances exchanged between, not only her parents, but brothers as well. What had happened to her that made them look like that? "Mum, what happened to me?"

Molly's face went soft and yet quizzical. "You don't remember do you?" she asked, taking her daughter's hand. Ginny shook her head.

Ron went to a nearby table and picked up what seemed to be a newspaper. Ginny watched apprehensively, as Ron took a glance at the newspaper and shuddered. He sighed and walked back over to where they had all gathered around her bed. He gave her a sad half-smile and handed her the paper.

She took it in her trembling hands and looked.

_**CRISIS IN THE MINISTER'S HOUSHOLD!**_

_Late last night at approximately 1:25 a.m. Minister Arthur Weasley's daughter, one Ginevra Weasley, was involved in a head-on collision. (A accident involving a muggle contraption known as an automobile.) While no one is releasing any information at this time, it is speculated that Miss Weasley had been out for a night on the town. She was seen earlier in the evening with Connor Gillespie, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Jupiter, headed to a party in muggle London. It has been reported that there were copious amounts of alcohol consumed on Miss Weasley's part and can thus be determined that she was driving under the influence of alcohol (a significant crime by muggle standards) and swerved into oncoming traffic resulting in the devastating accident…_

Ginny stopped reading. This wasn't right. No, this was wrong. This was so wrong. Everything came back to her in a rush. The reporter, Connor's surprise, the party at Jared's, and then the drive home, or rather, what should have been the drive home. She remembered getting comfortable, she remembered the song that had been playing in the CD player. And she remembered the man apparating inside her car. Him trying to have his way with her. Him flinging himself at her and her barley managing a strangled scream as her mind registered that there was a semi headed straight towards her.

She let out a strangled sob.

"Ginny?" her mother questioned softly.

"No, this is wrong! This is all wrong! That's not how it happened!" she wailed. She crumpled the damned paper in her hands and threw it.

"What's wrong dearest?" Her father asked.

Ginny looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. "That!" she pointed to where the paper had fallen on the other side of the room. "That's wrong! It's all wrong, that's not what happened!"

Fred rested his hand on her head and bent down to look at her. "Hush Bug, it's alright. We didn't believe that shit anyways."

Ginny took a steadying breath and tried to let herself calm down. "I did go to a party with Connor, and I did drink, but I had a headache and got sick. So I cast a sobering charm. I wasn't drunk when I got behind the wheel! I'm not stupid! I talked to Connor and then I left. I was headed home when he apparated into the car."

"He?" Ron asked. Already there was a thread of anger in his voice.

"One of those fucking paparazzi. He just apparated in and took a bloody picture. So I swerved to try and scare him, get him to get out. But he didn't. He just threw the camera down and came at me. Almost like he was going to try and…" She couldn't bring herself to say it. " So I swerved again. And he hit the window. He got pissed and came at me. He didn't know what the car would do. He grabbed the wheel and lunged. That's how we got in the other lane, that's how this happened."

Saying it out loud didn't make her feel near as good as she thought it would. She thought, now that she remembered, that talking about it would make it easier. It had helped with the chamber. But now, now she just felt weird and dirty. She didn't like it.

Molly was crying and Arthur was positively livid. Ron and Fred and George were looking at her with something akin to pity and a fierce protectiveness.

"Mum? Where's Connor?" she asked. Molly snuffled.

"We sent him home. He's been sitting with you for the past four days. He needed some sleep." Molly replied with a soft smile.

Ginny looked astounded. "I've been out for four days?" she asked quietly. Her mother nodded. Had the accident really been that bad? Was she really that hurt? As if in answer, pain blossomed yet again. She sucked in her breath. It almost hurt to breathe. This was bad.

At about that time a nurse entered her room. She seemed nice enough. Her face held a bright smile. That perfect nurse's smile, that, despite the condition the patient was in, was peaceful and hopeful. "Ah, good Miss Weasley, you're awake. You had you're family quite worried."

Guilt formed in a knot in the pit of her stomach. She hated worrying her family.

"Minister, if I may, I think it would be best if Ginevra rested for a while more. She's still not exactly out of the red yet."

Arthur nodded his head, barley containing the fury he still felt and escorted his wife from the room. Her brothers stayed for a moment longer.

"No worries now, Bug. We'll be here when you wake up again."

Each of her brother's kissed her chastely on the forehead before leaving. The nurse smiled as they went. "Your family seems to care a great deal about you. Of course, that's to be expected. But, as your brother's said, no worries. This," she held out a tiny vial of liquid, "will make you feel so much better." She said it all with the utmost compassion.

Ginny gave her a small smile and the nurse went about her business. Although, what business she went about, Ginny didn't know. As soon as the medicine was inserted into her I.V. she was off to the land where nothingness reigns.

((-))

Ginny floated on the wings of consciousness. Somewhere in her mind she knew that she should wake up. Wake up and make sure her family was still around, wake up and see if this was all still real. She struggled to the surface of her dreams and slowly regained her consciousness. She fought to open her eyes yet again. For a moment she thought she was alone in the room, but movement close to the door told her other wise.

For an instant she panicked. All she could think of was that man apparating into her car. The look on his face as he lunged toward her.

Damn the fucking heart monitor.

The steady beat of her pulse went erratic and the two figures by the door rushed to her side. At the sight of her mother her pulse lessened slightly, but at the sight of her other visitor it increased yet again.

She didn't know him. He was hooded and cloaked. It seemed as if the very shadows hid his features from view, like he took them and wrapped them around himself. He screamed mystery and gave off an intimidating, yet unbelievably sad aura. It made her terrified and yet unbearably sad of and for him. And yet, she felt all too intrigued by him.

"Ginny dear, are you alright?" her mother asked worriedly.

Ginny nodded, trying desperately to avert her gaze from this strange new figure. Her mother though, she was not as aloof as she appeared to be. She caught her daughters failed attempt to look away. She cleared her throat.

"Ginny, you're father and I have decided that, in light of recent events, you need a bodyguard. Now, before you start in on anything, I will have you know he is one of your father's top Arour's. He has proven himself over and over in the line of duty, as well as his loyalty to not only your father but to the Light as well. And, it is not that we don't think you're capable of handling yourself, it's simply that with all of the chaos and commotion it would be benefiting for someone to keep a close eye on you. We don't want what has happened to happen again. So, please, please, keep an open mind." Molly stated, absentmindedly wringing her hands. She looked to the figure and gave a slight nod.

Ginny watched with apprehension. Both wanting and not wanting to know who this person was and why her mother was promoting him thusly.

The figure gave a nod and the shadows dissipated from around him. He reached up and pulled back the hood revealing himself.

Ginny bit back the sound of disbelief that threatened to escape. Surely not, there was no way.

His quicksilver hair was pulled back in tight French braid that both hardened and softened his face. His eyes still held a trace of the arrogance he had once boasted so proudly. Now, those mercury orbs held more than simply arrogance, they also held a bit of content that had never been there before, but also sadness. Some of the sadness that he exuded was reflected there, but over all there was a general intelligence and want to learn all things new. It made her think better of him. But the biggest change to those once stern features were the three identical scars on his left cheek. They could have almost looked as though someone had taken him in a choke hold and racked claws along his face. Maybe that was what had happened. Maybe with time, she would ask.

Ginny looked around and noticed her mother had quietly exited the room while her thoughts bombarded her.

"What? No biting comment, no scathing remark?" he asked, his voice much deeper than she ever remembered it being, yet still holding that tale tell smirk. While he was scornful, he question held a truth and questioning he had never shown before.

"Why should I? What point would there be? I mean, my father has you hear for good reason. I can't argue what is already done." she replied with a slight, testing shrug of her shoulders. She was relieved to find it didn't hurt near as much as it had before the medicine.

His trademark smirk softened into something of a genuine smile, though it did still hold somewhat of his devilish grin.

Ginny quirked the corner of her mouth up in her own smirk.

"Draco Malfoy, what is done is done and can't be undone. The past is the past, so leave it there. And I am hurt and in desperate need of something to eat."

She smiled up at him sweetly and innocently. This could be interesting, hell, she thought, this could even be fun!

((-))

Well, there it is, and I know it's a while in coming. I'm still trying to get all my shit together and get back on the creativity train! Urgh, sometimes this can be totally frustrating! Anyways, it is my sincerest hope that you will all enjoy this story and even give me some ideas. While I do have the outline, there's a lot of filler that I need. So, I hope you guys enjoyed it and keep on reviewing! Thanks to all of you who keep me going! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Arigato

Ja'ne- Ami


	3. Chapter 3: Intruders and Trust Bonds

Okay, okay, I know it's been forever since I updated either of my stories! I know! I'm horrible! I have been in a horrible, horrible slump lately. Broke, jobless, school sucks, that whole deal. I do actually have a summary for this chapter though. So, this one may get posted before "I Am". I dunno. Anyways…I'm trying my best to get these both done. It's just taking some time and lots of patience on my part and yours. Thank you so much for being so patient! Just please keep up the encouragement. I need it…desperately!

((-))

Chapter 3: Intruders and Trust Bonds

Ginny glared over in the corner where her "body-guard" kept his constant vigil. This was going beyond her idea of normalcy. He flipped the page of the magazine he was reading paying no more attention to her than the man in the moon. She had been in this stupid hospital for nearly a week. She was healed for the most part now and wanted nothing more than to go home and put some, what she felt was, much deserved distance between the two of them. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. This was so stupid! Her parents had stationed this "body-guard" in her room the day she'd regained her consciousness and very much to her chagrin he had stayed put. She heaved another sigh again.

"Sighing will get you nowhere Ginevra." Draco stated from where his eyes were fixed on his magazine.

"I wasn't sighing for your benefit, _Draco_, I'm bloody tired of sitting here in this damn room!" she replied, throwing her hands in the air. "I mean, I've been here for a fucking week!" And a long week it had been. Her only bright spots had been Connor's visits to her room, and at one point Jared had come with him. That had been the brightest day of her whole week! But now, now she just wanted to go home, and hopefully within the hour she would. Her parents were talking with the doctor now.

"I'm going to take a shower." She stated swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Draco was by her side and helping her before her feet touched the floor. As much as she hated it and would never admit it, she did actually need his help. She was still hurting all over. And, they had found out three days ago, her left knee had the tendency to give out, and when it did it was painful. So, she allowed him to put an arm around her waist and help her hobble to the bathroom. Once inside, she motioned for him to leave. At the very beginning he had tried to stay in the room, not for nefarious purposes, but simply for the fact that he did not believe she would be safe without him in the room. And the first time, she had allowed it, and had been glad she had. She'd nearly fallen 3 different times that day. And he had caught her through the shower curtain all 3 times. But, as her body healed and regained some of her strength she had insisted that he stay out while she bathed. So he gave her a slight nod of his head and left the bathroom to stand outside the door as was his wont.

Ginny rolled her eyes and proceeded to removed the gown she'd been made to wear. She turned on the water for the shower before glancing in the mirror. She'd taken a shower every day she had been able to, but she still looked like a haggard beast. Her normally lustrous hair hung in scraggly waves to her waist. Her eyes, which usually held a mischievous light, were dull and looked back at her with most of the weariness she felt. There were big bags under her eyes, that gave her the illusion she hadn't slept in weeks. Truth was that she had been doing nothing but sleeping. Her skin wasn't it's normal glowing presence, but instead was a dim mockery of what it usually was. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped. She needed her bathroom, with her oils and lotions, and her own shampoo and conditioner, not this sorry excuse the hospital gave her. She waved her hand under the water and found it to her liking and stepped in.

((-))

Ginny stuck her head out of the door, the towel wrapped tightly around her. Draco was already staring down at her. She noticed he was looking only at her face and liked him a little better for it.

"Can you hand me a fresh gown please?" she asked. He gave her a small smile.

"How about some sweat pants and a t-shirt." he replied.

Ginny's smile widened. "I get to go home?!"

He nodded his head, and his own smile got slightly bigger at her reaction. He headed off towards his usual corner of the room where she caught a glimpse of her rucksack. Draco rummaged around in it for a moment before pulling out her old school sweat pants and the t-shirt that Connor had given her along with a matching set of bra and panties. She couldn't hide the blush that flooded her face when he handed it all to her.

"Thanks" she whispered before ducking into the bathroom. She heard Draco's deep chuckle from the other side of the door. She hurriedly put on her clothes and immediately felt better for it. Maybe it was just the fact that she had been a week in hospital gowns, but she felt better having her own clothes on. She threw her hair up into a pony tail and exited the bathroom.

Draco was repacking her rucksack and her parents were waiting at the foot of her bed.

"Oh, dearest, we're so glad to see you up and about." Her mother stated as she enveloped her in a tremendous hug. Ginny hugged her back as tightly as she could.

Arthur rubbed his daughter's back. "Let's get you home." He whispered. Ginny simply nodded against where her head was cradled between her mothers neck and shoulder.

((-))

Things were not going well. This ass hole simply would not leave her alone. Everywhere she went, everything she did. He was her constant shadow. Even now, that she was out of the hospital, he still stood outside her bathroom door when she bathed. She had no privacy, no freedom. Hell, even his room was adjoining hers.

She huffed furiously on the cigarette she held. It wasn't like she was a chain smoker, she just needed something to calm her furious nerves. She had always been a free spirit, and having _him_ around, all the time, was getting on her last damn nerve. And there he was sitting in the chair opposite hers smoking his own damn cigarette and reading the latest issue of some stupid magazine. She was beyond pissed off. And yesterday had been the worst!

Connor had stopped by to see how she was feeling. He would have come the day she got out of the hospital but he and Jared had been collaborating night and day for a new line of shit both bands could put out. So, needless to say he'd been super busy. She hadn't minded Connor's visit, it would have been a great thing to release some of her pent up frustrations on such a willing partner. But no…_DRACO FUCKING MALFOY HAD HAD TO GO AND STAY BY HER SIDE THE ENTIRE FUCKING TIME!_ He had acted as if Connor was a complete threat to her. And worse still was that when Connor had arrived Draco had had to check him all over for weapons and spells and the like. And to put the icing on the cake, Draco had coughed every time they'd made a move to touch each other. Apparently because she and Connor weren't dating he didn't think she should be touching him or vise versa. It wasn't like she had virtue to protect, she'd been sleeping with Connor for nearly two months.

Ginny furiously put the cigarette out before lighting up another. Draco looked up from his magazine.

"Chain smoking is bad for you." he commented.

"Oh fuck off!" she retorted blowing smoke in his face. "And it's not like you can say anything, you're sitting there with your own damn cigarette."

"Ah, but I at least wait 15 minutes before lighting up another one." he drawled, blowing smoke right back at her.

"That's it, that's fucking it!" she yelled. She stamped out the cigarette and stood. "You sit there and act like there's nothing wrong, and you tell me I'm in the wrong!" She threw her hands up. "You give me no privacy for anything! I can't even have sex!"

"You're father hired me as your bodyguard. It's not my fault you seem to find trouble." he drawled. It was the voice she had heard so many times in school.

Ginny forced her hands to stay at her sides, yet the urge to slap him was seriously becoming nearly overwhelming. "I find trouble?! I don't find trouble Malfoy, trouble finds me. And don't you think for one instant that I want that stupid trouble because I don't. And you're a fucking idiot if you do. You were hired as my bodyguard, not my chaperone! The least you could do is let me have my fucking space! I don't even get to piss without your fucking presence outside the damn door!"

Draco stood. "I was hired as your BODY-guard. And I intend to fulfill my duties. I will not have your parents on my ass because I wasn't there when you needed me to be there! I won't have you getting hurt because I was somewhere else when someone else was trying to do you harm! Just grow up Weasley and let me do my damn job!"

That was it. There was a resounding _SMACK_ as her hand collided with the side of his face. "HOW DARE YOU TELL ME TO GROW UP?! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU?! YOU POMPUS FUCK! GO TELL MY PARENTS I WANT A NEW BODYGUARD!"

She rounded on her heel and headed for her bedroom. She slammed the French doors shut and threw ward after ward at them baring anybody's entrance, much less _his_. Wards and silencing charms cast she picked up the nearest thing to her and threw it against the wall. She heard the picture frame shatter with a satisfying crash. She screamed her frustrations and picked up a vase before throwing it against the wall as well.

_How dare he?! How fucking dare he tell ME to grow up?! He has no clue what I've had to go through in life! That over protective fuck. He acts like he was told to do what he's been doing. As far as I know daddy just told him to watch over me and make sure I didn't get hurt. Well he's been doing way too much watching! He's my fucking shadow for goddess sake! Ugh! _

She sat down on the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. This was not how she had wanted things to go. She had thought it would be fun to have him around, making him do things for her, having the tables turned on him. For once he was supposed to be the tormented one. But this was going all to hell. He didn't leave her alone!

_But I suppose it could be worse. He could be the same jerk he had been in school. At least now he's not throwing insults at me and my family. In fact he's been quite civil to everyone. _She sighed and hugged her legs even tighter._ Maybe I should just give him a chance. Maybe he's right. With him being this close I'm sure to never get in trouble, and if I do, he'll be there to bail me out of it all._ She let a single tear escape and run down her cheeks._ I wish none of this had ever happened…_

((-))

Draco stormed down the steps that led into the garden. His cheek stung from where that bitch had slapped him. She had a powerful arm, he'd give her that. But was she really so stupid?!

_This stupid little weasel doesn't know what the hell she's gotten herself into!_ _She's being a selfish little bitch, all I'm trying to do is my job! Why the hell did I ever let the Minister talk me into this?! Maybe I should have just taken the assignment in Cairo after all. It would have been a hell of a lot easier than dealing with this fireball. _He paced along the stone walkway between the roses and gardenia bushes. He absentmindedly ran his hands through the thorns. It was stupid, and absurd to most people, but the pain of the thorns helped him think. Helped him clear his head. He stopped at the rose bushes and sighed.

_I can't run from this…I didn't take the mission to Cairo, I took this. This is my duty now. I can't abandon this job, or for that matter that girl. _He shivered remembering how she had looked in the hospital. But that hadn't even been the worst of it. The worst had been when she had begun to talk in her sleep. At first he couldn't make out what she was saying, then she'd gotten restless and her words came clearer. She murmured things like "No, Tom, no!" or "Please don't make me do this!" And then she would cry. Just tears down her face at first, and then her body would rack, but no sound would come out.

He didn't know what kind of torture she'd gone through, or when for that matter, but he hated the look of her so helpless. For a moment his father's words flowed through his mind, _"WE, do not consort with the likes of Weasley's! They are beneath us! Our master has plans for your, Draco. Do not disappoint me!"_ Draco blocked those thoughts. He was his own person, his own master! He chose this life, and he would do his duty.

((-))

Ginny watched as Draco silently padded around her room doing his nightly check for anything that could be a potential threat. She curled up in her nightgown and snuggled deeper under her covers. Ever since her explosion she had felt she owed him something. While she couldn't figure out just what this feeling was and what it meant, she had let him do his job. It was like an uneasy truce. He had resumed his shadow position and she didn't protest. She would let him do his job no matter how much it irked her. Who knew, maybe just maybe he would give her enough space to spend some time with Connor. But that might take a bit of time.

"All clear" came his deep voice. She looked at him standing against the door frame. He was dressed, as usual, in his usual black leather armor, hair French braided down to the small of his back. His sword showed over his shoulder and just past his hip. At first she had thought the sword a little archaic, but then she'd seen him going through his routines and hadn't thought about it since. He was more than capable of using it. His wand was in his hand, hanging loosely at his side. She sighed. She had to admit, if anything he'd only grown more beautiful since school. And the scars on his face gave him an added allure and stoic-ness he had never before possessed.

"Thank you" she replied.

"Sleep well."

She graced him with a small smile and he left her room, the door clicking shut behind him. She turned out the light and snuggled under the covers.

((-))

Ginny woke to a weight on top of her. For a moment she thought it was Fred or George playing a prank on her, until she opened her eyes. A hand clamped over her mouth. Her pulse hammered in her throat. She tried to scream but nothing got past that heavy beating in her throat.

"You little bitch! You'll pay for what you did to my brother!" he snarled and his breath blew hot on her face. The stench of whiskey made the earlier contents of her supper rise and for an instant she thought she was going to throw up. The man's hand fumbled at his pants. She tried to scream, tried to do anything, but his legs pinned her down. His weight held her trapped.

She couldn't scream. She couldn't move. This was it, he was going to do this. Her eyes searched frantically for anything she could use. Her wand was on her bedside table. She would never be able to alert Draco. He wouldn't get there in time, he wouldn't come. This was actually going to happen.

Panic rose in her in an unrelenting flood. She writhed and thrashed on the bed trying anything to get him off of her.

And just like that, the man froze. He went completely still above her. She jerked and his body fell in the same position off the top of her. She scrambled out of bed, knowing Draco would be there.

"Are you okay?"

The words brought no sound from her. Instead she latched onto Draco as if he were the last solid thing on the face of the earth. His arm wrapped protectively around her. "Are you alright?" he asked again. He felt the faintest of nods against his chest. He pushed his anger down and fought for control. The only thing moving on the bed were the man's frantic and crazed eyes. Draco could only try and stifle the growl of fury that threatened to rise in his throat. Not just for the fact that he had nearly not made it in time, but also because he could see in his mind just how many times he'd had to use the same spell on his own father. This man would pay for what he had done, and hadn't done.

With a flick of his wand there was a parchment rolled and sealed lying next to the man explaining the events of the evening. How the hell this bastard had wound up in here he was determined to find out. The wards on the ground still held, and so did his own magic. How had this bastard made it past all of it? He decided he would find out later. With another flick of his wand both the man and the parchment disappeared.

He stuck his wand in his pocket and wrapped the other arm around Ginevra, who, by now, was shaking. All he could think to do was treat her as he had treated his mother when his father had tried to do the same thing to her. He lifted her gently in his arms and settled them both on the bed. She wound herself tighter around him and he made soothing noises as he rubbed her back. He sat there and cradled her until the shaking subsided. For a moment he thought she had fallen asleep, until her voice, like a whispering wind, floated up to his ears.

"How did you know?"

"When we first arrived I installed sensors to alert me when your heart rate increased."

"Oh" she sighed. He realized that her fingers were tracing the scars along the left side of his chest. It wasn't sexual in any way, more a curious, comforting gesture. "How did you get these?" she asked. He was glad she couldn't see the smile of relief that graced his features.

"The same way I got the ones on my face. I took an assignment to arrest a rogue shape shifter. He put up one hell of a fight." he answered. Her fingers were still tracing the scar patterns, but then they moved to the deep pitted scar that ran across his right shoulder next to his heart.

"And this one?" she murmured, caressing it gently.

"When I was younger my father liked to remind me that he was the better swordsman." he whispered. He didn't like talking about his past, but if it would chase away that look in her eyes he would tell her anything she wanted to know. His own hand was stroking her wrist when it ran across a jagged scar. He lifted her arm gently and looked at it, running his thumb over it.

"What about you? How did you get this?" he asked.

He felt her tense a little, but she answered him anyway. "In first year, when the chamber was opened. Tom slit my wrists to use me as a sacrifice. If Harry hadn't come…" Her voice choked. Draco's grip tightened around her. He had never known until that very moment who had been the sacrifice his father had so boldly spoken of, but now he understood. That day when they had encountered the Weasley's and his father and made him stumble into the little girl with red hair, he was putting the diary into her cauldron with all her other books.

"I'm sorry." he whispered. Ginevra shrugged against him.

"It's not your fault for your father's actions." she murmured.

"My father ordered me to run into you so that he could play good Samaritan and put the diary in with your books. It is my fault."

Ginevra turned in his arms to look up at him with a resolve he'd never seen before. "No, it's not. You're hand didn't put that thing in my cauldron. It wasn't your idea. All you did was run into me. The rest is all on your father."

Draco couldn't hold her gaze. He looked down and still his fingers traced the scar across her wrist. Ginny hugged her arms tighter around him.

"I'm sorry for blowing up the other day. I should have just been honest in the first place." she whispered against his neck.

"Maybe I should have been a little less intrusive." he spoke against her ear.

She sat back on his lap, fingers still idly tracing his scars. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll agree to be completely honest with you if you'll agree to do the same with me. No secrets, just truth."

He placed his hand over hers and laid them both flat on his chest. "It's a deal. Now, I think you should be getting back to bed." He stood and sat her down on the bed. He turned to go back to his bedroom but something caught his hand.

"Don't go…not yet." Her grip tightened on his. For a moment he had nearly forgotten what had happened. He turned around and the look in her eyes was enough. They spoke volumes of the fear and helplessness she felt. "Just until I fall asleep, please, I just…I don't want to be alone."

He had never before felt anything other than contempt for his wards. Maybe it was because he actually knew this one that he felt something other than that contempt. And to chase that look from her eyes, all that pain and fear, he would do nearly anything in his power. He sighed and nodded his head once. She scooted over in the bed and he climbed in beside her. He realized she hadn't let go of his hand and once he was under the covers with her she took his hand and wrapped it around her torso. It was almost as if she were using him as a big, alive security blanket. Her fingers wound lazy circles along his hand and wrist. While anyone else would have taken it for sexual he had been around her for just long enough to know that she touched someone when she was upset. And she was most definitely upset. She had nearly been rapped tonight.

"Just until you fall asleep" he repeated in nothing more than a whisper. She nodded against his chest and settled in against his body. _Just until she falls asleep…_

((-))

Well, there it is, and yes it's longer than the others. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave me some nice reviews! They will be greatly appreciated. And also, I'm trying desperately to produce the next chapter of "I Am" It's just…well…I think I'm running out of creative juices. I know where I want the story to go, but I can't seem to get all the words and plot to come together! If anyone has any ideas or encouragements please leave them for me. I most desperately need them! Anyways, let me know what you think! And I'll try to have the next chapter up sooner.

Arigato

Ja'ne- Ami


	4. Chapter 4: The Shock of Dreams

**Don't forget to read the A/N at the bottom of the page. It explains! I swear! Don't hate me!**

((-))

Chapter 4: The Shock of Dreams

_He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. And she needed him._

"_Draco help me!"_

_He heard her screaming. He could hear her frantic breathing. He opened his eyes, and there she was. _

"_Let her go, Fenrick. She's nothing to you!" He yelled. His knees hurt from where he was stuck to the floor. _

_The graveled laugh came from behind her. His hand tightened around her throat and she choked, her breath coming in a cough. _

"_You're right, Auror, she means nothing to me. But…" His clawed hand caressed her cheek. "She means so much to you. This is the least I can do to pay you back." _

_He struggled against the curse that bound him. He had to get to her. He had to save her. "Hold on…" he whispered bringing his eyes up to meet hers. With a shock he saw her eyes beginning to glaze over. It wouldn't be long before unconsciousness claimed her. _

_Fenrick's hand wound around her torso, claws rending her shirt to pieces and tracing a bloody path across her stomach._

"_STOP IT! LET HER GO!" He roared. He could feel the spell beginning to unravel. All he had to do was fight, just a little longer._

_Fenrick laughed, low and menacing. "Ah, I can see the pain in your eyes. But that's not enough. Not nearly enough. I want you to live with the knowledge that you couldn't save her…" _

_Almost…almost…With a jerk the spell gave way and he fell face first to the floor. _

"_NO! YOU WILL NOT SAVE HER!" Fenrick roared. _

_He lifted his head just in time to watch them disappear._

"_GINEVRA!!!!"_

Draco sat up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat, heart thundering against his chest. A dream…it was only a dream. It took him a moment to realize he wasn't in his room. The room he was in was a soft gold color with deep burgundy accents.

Ginevra's room.

He turned his head and found Ginevra curled up next to him. Her legs tangled in his, one arm curled under her head, the other flung carelessly over his stomach, still fast asleep. After a moment's panic he remembered why he was in her bed. The intruder last night, how she hadn't wanted to be alone. He'd promised to stay with her until she fell asleep. He had fallen asleep too.

Gently, he removed her arm and untangled himself from her. She made a small sound of protest, but latched on to a near by pillow instead.

Draco glanced at the clock on her bedside table and found to his disdain that it was only 5 in the morning. Damn Auror training. He missed being able to sleep until noon. Now, his body automatically woke up at 5 or there about.

He made his way to his own bedroom. He would have to make a report and check the grounds. Somehow that man had made it through the barriers of the manor and his own personal barriers. He'd be damned if he didn't figure out how. Then after all that he'd have to talk with the Minister. That, he wasn't looking forward to. The Minister was overly protective of his youngest and only daughter. Hell, all the Weasley men were.

Draco silently shut the door between his room and Ginevra's and walked over to his bed. His hand went immediately to his sword. He picked it up feeling the familiar leather sheath, smelling the familiar oil. Instantly his nerves were calmed and he could think again. It was just a dream.

His scars ached in that phantom pain the doctors told him he would have. Why now? What had caused him to dream about Fenrick? Sword in one hand, he massaged the scars on his chest with the other. Fenrick…the shape shifter that had given him his scars. But he was locked away in Azkaban, and wasn't due out for years.

So why had he had that dream? Why had he dreamed of Fenrick hurting Ginevra? In his dream he had cared far more for her than he did now. Or did he? He'd been forcing himself for weeks to keep his personal feelings in check. He had never felt this way about a charge before. He hadn't felt this sort of attraction in years, since school. He'd caught himself, too many times, simply staring at her. Especially when she was sitting out on her balcony.

The way the sun caught her hair. The way her cheeks would flush with the suns heat.

He set his sword back on his bed and rubbed his eyes. He reached around and found the end of his braid and pulled the holder out. It took a moment, but he ran his fingers through his hair, eventually unraveling the braid. He shook his hair out, sending it cascading around his shoulders and over his chest. He headed into his bathroom and turned the shower.

Ginevra would laugh at him. His hair was crinkled in unruly waves from having been braided for so long. Maybe he should cut it. He vetoed that idea quickly. He's sworn to his mother he wouldn't cut it. So, he wouldn't.

He banished his thoughts and got ready for his shower.

((-))

Ginny woke up alone. Maybe it was the fact that Draco wasn't in the bed that had woken her. She glanced at the clock, it was 5:15. Draco couldn't have been gone that long. There was still a warm spot where he'd been. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Last night had been terrifying. The thought of being alone was still terrifying to her. Maybe if she slept in Draco's bed she'd feel better.

She got up and didn't even bother to put on her robe. She went over to the door separating her bedroom from his and cracked the door open. She didn't seen him so she opened it further. She heard the shower running in the bathroom. So, she slipped in and shut the door behind her. She hadn't been into his bedroom before, but didn't take the time to appreciate it. She was already trembling, and she was so cold. She crawled into Draco's bed curling the sheets and blankets around her. The pillow smelled like him. A mixture of the oil he used for his sword and the musky scent that was just his own.

But none of this helped. She was shaking even worse than before and no matter how tight she wrapped herself she couldn't get warm. She hoped Draco would get out of the shower soon. He would make her warm, he would make her stop shaking. She closed her eyes and gripped the pillow tighter, curling herself into a tight ball.

She didn't know how long it was, but sometime later she heard the door to the bathroom open. By now she was shaking worse, her whole body trembling, her teeth chattering.

"Ginevra!"

He was still wet from his shower, but goddess was he warm. Ginny wrapped herself around him drawing his warmth around her. Vaguely she could feel his hair dripping wetness onto her shoulders. She was still shaking but not so bad.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked quietly, teeth chattering softly. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Delayed shock." he replied. "You didn't go into shock last night, so you're body's doing it now. It happens sometimes. It'll pass soon. You need to get warm." He started to pull away.

"Don't leave me!" she whispered and clung to him tighter.

"I'm not. I have to move so I can pick you up." He said softly. Without releasing her, he maneuvered himself so that he could cradle her. He picked her up and went back into her bedroom.

With a muttered charm the door opened. He used the same charm to open her bathroom door. The fastest way to get her warm was to get her in a bath. He thanked every deity he could think of that he'd put his boxers on before he got out of the bathroom. He would get wet again, but oh well.

He considered himself lucky that her tub was in the floor. He managed to turn on the water with his foot. He was even luckier that it was magically enhanced to fill up quickly. Within a moment the tub was full of hot water. He balanced down the steps, Ginevra still shaking in his arms. He settled himself into a corner and held Ginevra as close as he could.

Eventually she stopped shaking and simply laid in his arms, curled tightly against his chest. For a while they simply sat there. Ginny curled in Draco's arms, his fingers running in soothing lines up and down her spine.

"_Why did this happen to me?" _

At first Draco thought he'd imagined her words. He hadn't felt her speak. And he would have. She was pressed too tightly against his chest for him not to feel it.

"_Surely I did something in the past that would warrant this happening to me. Maybe it was that time I ran off when I was little and Mum couldn't find me. Maybe karma is coming back to kick my ass…If Draco hadn't been here…"_

Her body shuddered against his and he held her tighter. Something wasn't right. She wasn't speaking. She was thinking. He was reading her thoughts.

"But how are you reading my thoughts?"

Draco looked down and Ginny looked up with him, questioning written in her gaze. She _had_ spoken that last part.

"I have no idea. Can you read mine?" He asked hesitantly. He thought something. _"There are 48 stances to my forms." _

"Geez, I didn't know there were that many. There didn't seem to be that many."

"Well, that answers that question." Draco sighed. Ginny maneuvered herself so that she was sitting in Draco's lap.

"So what does this mean? And how did it happen?" she asked, her head down as she tried to puzzle it all out, her fingers tracing idly over the same scars she'd traced last night.

Draco sat back and thought, momentarily lulled by her idle ministrations. Indeed, how did this happen? What had they done to have developed this connection between them?

"Draco…your scar is warm."

"What?" Draco realized her had had stilled over the scar on his right shoulder. Now that he thought about it, the spot in question was warm. He could feel it in his muscle, like the heat charms his mother had used to ease the furious muscles after his father had stabbed him. He looked down and her hand was pressed against the scar, a soft gold outline around her small appendage. "Well, that's new." he remarked.

Ginny removed her hand and the outline stayed for a moment before seemingly seeping back into his skin.

"Well, I have no clue." he stated.

"I do." she whispered and looked up at him. "I read about it while I was still in school. It happened mostly between young aristocratic women and their guardians. Because they were around each other so often, and had to depend on each other they developed Trust Bonds. It enabled the guardian to always know where their charge was, and vise versa for the charge to the guardian. And…it enabled them to read each others minds. There were never lies between the two." She paused for a moment and traced his scar. "I never knew how it was done until now."

"Well, is it all the time, all knowing one?" Draco asked trying an attempt at lightening the somber atmosphere.

"I don't know." She said, thinking. "Maybe we can block the thoughts. But we'll never be able to lie to each other."

Ginny built a mental barrier around her thoughts. "Try it now." She thought of all her brothers names, first, middle, and last.

"Nothing." Draco said. "Try lying."

Ginny thought for a moment, absentmindedly stroking her fingers softly across Draco's scars. _"I love the paparazzi." _

"FUCK THAT HURTS!" They yelled it simultaneously. Ginny grabbed her head at the same time Draco went to rub his temples.

"Apparently these girls and their guardians learned not to lie to each other rather quickly. That fucking hurt." Draco mumbled as he dug his fingers into the bridge of his nose to try and alleviate the pain.

"Apparently…" Ginny muttered. She'd expected something to happen when she lied, but by all the gods and goddesses she hadn't expected that. It had felt as though someone had taken a handful of needles and shoved them into her head. Her head was still tingling.

Draco stood and let Ginny slide out of his arms. "C'mon. Let's get dressed then face your father. He'll most likely have found out about last night by now." He pulled himself out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Ginny was glad of her mental barrier. It helped to keep Draco out of her mind and away from her thoughts of just how nicely his muscles bunched and released as he pulled himself out of the tub, and just where those thoughts were leading. Draco did _not_ need to know about those thoughts.

"You go on and get dressed. I'll finish my bath I suppose then meet you out on the terrace." Ginny said. She made sure Draco was out of the bathroom before she removed her soaking night gown.

She sighed as she leaned back against the now warm tile of the bath tub. This was going to prove to be a _very_ long day.

((-))

**Well, here's another chapter for Blink. I was thinking of continuing this chapter. But I think I'll save that for the next chapter. I now it's shorter than normal, but I've had this chapter written for nearly a month and had to finish it. So I finished it yesterday and am posting it. I'm doing the same thing with "Swallow My Pride". **

**As for "I Am"…well, I have a severe case of Writers Block and cannot seem to get past it. I've tried everything. I have the outline done, I even have the outline done for a few chapters after that. It's just the point of getting it from outline form to written form that's causing me so much trouble. Anyways.**

**Please REVIEW, REVIEW, REVEW! And forgive me. If anyone has any way to get rid of Writers Block PLEASE let me know. Or if you have any ideas. Please.**

**Arigato**

**Ja'ne- Ami**


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